New FDA Research Says Vitamin A Additive in Sunscreens May Speed Skin Tumors

Scary headline, huh? Some of you may have already read about this and I wish I had been able to post about it sooner but my kids are off from school and I’ve barely even had time to sit down let alone type. Anyway, recent research came to the surface from an FDA study that indicates that a semi common additive in sunscreens, Vitamin A or retinyl palmitate, may actually speed the growth of skin tumors and lesions when exposed to sunlight.

The Environmental Working Group released their Sunscreen Guide for this year and I know I have questioned their recommendations in the past. I believe I was right in my skepticism in years past. But this time they have done a stellar job checking out basically every sunscreen known on the market, and I agree with just about all of their top choices. Included in their new guide is a detailed run down of the new research findings from the FDA study, so if you are so inclined to read the whole shebang, by all means, do check it out.

Why Is It Used? Retinyl palmitate is added to sunscreens because of its anti aging effects as an antioxidant. About 41% of all sunscreens contain it (according to EWG). It’s also used in cosmetics and other skin care items but based on the information released by the FDA they are “concerned” about the safety of its use in topical applications.

This means a slight need for a revision to SafeMama’s Sunscreen Cheat Sheet for this year because I strive to select the safest of the safest while also trying to provide choices. But I feel this is enough to warrant a revision to the list. I will post an update once I have thoroughly reviewed the items we have listed.

My question to our readers is would you rather us remove any sunscreens containing Vitamin A or retinyl palmitate – or would you rather we apply a notation to the products listing making readers aware of its presence? My knee jerk reaction was to remove any offenders completely but sometimes that generates a lot of questions so I am open to my lovely readers feedback on this one. So far it seems that Mexitan is the only brand containing retinyl palmitate. What say you?

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Thanks for posting and for your opinion! As for the list, I could go either way on either removal or a footnote. For what it’s worth, I really liked Mexitan, particularly since it was a little easier on my wallet than some of the others. I sent them an email a few moments ago asking if they’d consider removing retinyl palmitate from their ingredients.

How about removing them from the list, but with a note on the bottom explaining that some products were removed from the original list due to the presence of this ingredient. You could list those that were removed.

I think it is more helpful to add a footnote and like you indicated that may cut back on questions. Thanks for putting the cheat sheet together – I was very happy and relieved to see that Badger was on the “good” list.

I think adding a footnote like you mentioned would be easier and cut back on removal questions. I love all of your cheat sheets. I am also thankful and relieved Badger is a safe choice. Also, I appreciate all the love, time and effort you put into reviewing and studying items and ingredients. This site is such a blessing and provides me with great info that I can trust to keep my kids safe. Thanks!

The study cited is still controversial in that it used mice, which are prone to accelerated skin cancer anyway. Also, Vitamin A is used to treat skin cancer so the jury is still out as far as the actual effects on humans. I think you should keep the list, but add a note about possible new concerns.

Thanks again for your wonderful site, it is a great resource for me and I recommend it to all my pregnant friends. I like the idea of putting a footnote next to sunscreens with retinyl palmitate, then your readers can make a choice based upon the current information.

I agree that you can keep the cheatsheet as is, but add a note, stating whether Vitamin A is added, or not. This will help us to make informed choices. I really appreciated your last cheat sheet and have started using Badger, which is working just fine for us.

Please remove!!! I love you because you DO fall on the conservative side when it comes to the health of our kiddos. If you left in all products that didn’t have a “confirmed” bad health effect you might as well be Target or Wal Mart – all of their stuff is “technically safe” according to FDA standards, but the people who are passionate about websites like yours know that the FDA cannot be trusted with the health of our children!!! Please differentiate yourself by erring on the side of caution and REMOVE these products. (Just like you have recommended avoiding BPA and won’t feature products with BPA in them even though it is not yet banned…). PLEASE REMOVE!!

Just curious, if retinyl/Vitamin A is a problem, what about sunscreens formulated with ingredients that naturally contain Vitamin A? For instance, shea butter is known as a ‘natural Vitamin A’ cream, but on the other hand, it’s also promoted for offering some protection from the sun.

Yikes, I say remove them! I love this site for quick checks and I’d like to just look and see what is definitely safe. You all are awesome, thanks & keep up the good work!

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About SafeMama

Started back in 2007, a new mother on a quest to collect safe product information for her then 1 year old son. Now a mother of two boys, she continues to help parents make sense of the world of child safety.Read on...